More than any other aspect of your wedding, your choice of wedding songs will set the tone of your wedding day. And whilst your choice of music should be a personal one, it is important to remember that your wedding songs should be appropriate for a wedding.

Many will choose to go down the traditional route of Mendelssohn’s Wedding March for the recessional and take their first dance to a sentimental love song. But these are just two places during your wedding day where music will be required. You will need to choose music for the following elements of your day:



The processional – walking down the aisle



The recessional – walking up the aisle as husband and wife



Signing the register



Cocktail hour



Cutting the cake



First dance



Father/Daughter dance



Last dance



Background music during the wedding breakfast



You will need to remember that you cannot choose any music with religious references for a civil service. On a similar note, if you are having a traditional religious ceremony your choice of appropriate music may be limited by the venue and/or your wedding officiant. With any choice of music for the ceremony you should run it past your venue and officiant first.

Appropriate is a word that you will need to bear in mind when choosing your wedding songs. Thrash metal maybe your first choice in music but is hardly appropriate for your wedding. Another mistake made by couples is not listening to the lyrics of a song when choosing it. Some love songs sound great but when you actually read the lyrics you realize that love and marriage is the last thing the song is referring to! Your wedding music will be memorable not only to you but also to your guests, so if you make a bad choice it could come back to haunt you!

The internet is awash with endless lists of wedding songs for all parts of your wedding and whilst these make useful and interesting reading, your choice of songs should ultimately be made on a personal basis as they will say as much about your wedding as every other element you have so meticulously planned.

Playing music which is downbeat or somber will have a similar effect on your guests, make it too lively and you could end up with a riot on your hands! Your music choices will tell your guests whether the wedding will be formal or relaxed, it will let them know if they can get up and dance or it will let them know that something is about to happen!